Tag holder and protector



Oct. 31, 1950 P. J. WARMATH TAG HOLDER AND PROTECTOR Filed May 18, 1945 PERRY J. WARNATl-l INVENTOR. m 6.

Patented Oct. 31, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TAGHULD'ER AND PROTECTOR Perry J Warmath, Houston,- .Tex.

AppIication'May'IS; 1945, Serial No. 594,527 2 Claims. (01. 40-10.)

This invention relates to. a new and; improved holder of particular utility for such purposes. as:

holding; price tags. proximate rdisplayedgoods, or

holding tags bearing: other: printed indi'ciai in: a:

Another object is to provide a holder ,of the class described that is-simple and inexpensive to construct and use.

Still another object is to provide a holder into whichtickets. may be: readily: inserted and positioned, and from which they maybe easily removed.

It is also an object to provide a holder or molding which includes a forward transparent wall or window which-is free at one edge. and Lwl'iichis resiliently held in a-position closely overlyinga base therefor.

A still further" object is to provide av holder which is adapted-to" receive; through the cleft at the free edge, tickets or tags to. be displayed thereby:

Another and more specific objectis to'prov-ide a holder of'the class describedand in which the transparent wall includes holding means proximate its free edge to engage and retain tags within the holder.

Still another object is to provide a special tool which may be used for positioning tags within a holder or removing the tags therefrom, it being intended that in this manner, unauthorized misplacement or removal of tags is prevented.

Still another object is to provide a holder of the class described comprising running lengths which may be readily formed my molding or extrusion processes.

The foregoing together with additional objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmental perspective view of a holder comprising one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the holder shown in Fi 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental perspective view howing the holder in a unitary form as produced by molding or extrusion processes.

Fig. 4? is ai perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention. The embodiment of the invention shown in-thedrawings comprises a base portion 1' which, as shown in=Figs; 1 and 2, includesmolding 2: ofwood or other suitable material, it being intended'that this-molding may be secured in place upon the edge of a shelf, whereetheholder is used for dis playing price tags for goods displayed on theshelf, or a plurality of strips may be secured upon a surface where successive lines are to be displayed.

The forward surface 3 of the molding 2 is preferably curved to closely underlie the ticket or 'tag' 4 bearing-the indicia 5fitobe displayed; The rearward-face ofithe molding ls-0f a contour to fit the 1 surface upon which'tlie holder isto be attached, andis'cut' away at 16 to receive thelip l of a combined cover-holder'member" 8 to which further:

specificzreference is now-:"made=.:

The-membenll is made: ofanyrsuita'blematerial but is preferably a plastic which'is." readily mold able or" extrudable, and' which is transparent in order. that the tag; 4" and the indiciav thereon are clearly visible. As already indicated themember 8 includes a lip I which extendsdownwardlyfrom the: top i 0, and isidimensionedto fit:closely*withinthecut away; portion fi, a-ndthe surface to which.

the: base I is securedi A forward wall or window H is: integral with w the top lflrat' itssf'orwardi edgeand extends down wardly over? the :forward; face 3.". of the molding 2; As already indicated this wall is held closely continguous to the surface 3 whereby the indicia 5 on tag 4 will be uniformly displayed.

The window I I may normally remain in closely spaced relation with the surface 3, the tag 4 being inserted and/or removed without material movement of the window relative to the base I. Alternately the window may, by virtue of the resiliency of the material, be resiliently urged toward the surface 3 whereby friction between the tag and the adjacent surfaceswill hold the tag in place. Preferably, however, I provide separate or supple;- mental means such as the curl If at the lower edge of the window in Figs. 1-3 or the ledge IE5 at the lower edge of the surface 3 in Fig. 4, to be engaged by the tag 4 to hold the tag in place. The tag 4 is of such length that, when inserted until the upper edge 16 engages the inner surface H at the upper edge of the window I I, slight bowing of the tag will permit the lower edge l8 to enter within the projection 15 or I5, and is thereby held in place.

It seems apparent that tags 4 can be inserted at any desired position along the holderabove described and that, once in position, such tags cannot be displaced or removed by unauthorized persons. Furthermore, if the holder is exposed,

the moisture cannot enter the space occupied by the tag, but will instead move downwardly over the window I! and drip from the lowermost portion of the curl 15.

If the tags 4 are to be repositioned in, or removed from the holder, a tool such as that shown at 20 is provided. This tool is made of relatively thin material, and comprises a handle 2| having a curved neck portion 22 which terminates in the head 23 comprising sidewardly extending arms 24 and 25. By virtue of this construction the head 23 may be easily inserted behind the window H and move sidewardly to move the tickets 4 to desired position along the holder.

. Alternately the handle 2| may be moveddownwardly as indicated by the arrow 26 whereupon arm 24 and 25, as the case may be, engages the inner surface of the window II and the outer face of the tag 4 whereby the lower edge of the tag is forced over the edge of the curl i and the tag is released from the holder. Preferably, though not necessarily, the window I i is also provided with a head 27 proximate its free edge, the arms 24 and 25 of the tool being engageable with the inner surface thereof when the tool is in use.

The embodiment of Fig. 3 is used in the manner above indicated. It is to be noted, however, that this embodiment comprises a unitary construction which, like the cover-holder 3, already described, may be fabricated as by molding or extrusion processes. Like portions are referred to by identical reference characters.

It is to be understood that this type of molding may be secured in place bysuitable adhesive or alternately, small openings 21 may be drilled or formed by penetration of a suitable fastener such as a finishing nail.

The embodiment illustratedin Fig. 4 similar to Fig. 3, is a unitary structure and the base 2 thereof is elongated rearwardly to provide a pedestal so that the holder may rest upon a surface to display desired information. In this form of the invention a ledge I5 is formed upon the forward face 3 proximate its lower edge to be engaged by the lower edge of the tag 4 and hold the tag in place. It is to be understood that, when using this modification the configuration of the arms 24 and 25 of the tool 20 will be so altered that such arms may be readily inserted between the tags and the surface 3 whereby desired positioning of the tags along the holder I or removal of the tags therefrom may be efiected.

Broadly the invention comprehends a holder that is inexpensive and that protects tags mounted therein and prevents unauthorized displacement and/or removal of such tags.

What is claimed is:

1. A holder of the class described comprising, a base portion having a substantially fiat back surface for fitting against the edge of the shelf, v,a transparent window integral with the base at one of its edges, said window extending along the surface of the base and means for retaining a tag within the space between the window and base, said means including a projection at the free edge of said window extending inwardly toward the base but terminating in spaced relation therewith to permit the insertion of the tag at the free edge.

2. A holder of the class described comprising, a base; a transparent front wall integral with the base at one edge thereof, said wall being free from the base at its opposite edge and resiliently held in close relation to the forward face of the base portion, and a curl at the free edge of said window extending inwardly toward the base but terminating in spaced relation therewith to permit the insertion of a tag at the free edge;

PERRY J. WARMATH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date 

